There exist several hand exoskeletons systems that provide assistive force to the user for strength enhancement or rehabilitation. However, the lack of stability analyses for such systems has made it difficult to ensure that these systems can apply assistance forces corresponding to the user’s intended motion. In this study, a tendon-driven soft hand exoskeleton was developed to provide assistive grip force, and the qualitative stability condition of the system was investigated during system operation. The proposed exoskeleton assisted the middle finger, index finger, and thumb, based on the fingertip force estimated using a previously developed fingertip force sensor. This system applies a flexion force for the middle and index fingers, as well as flexion and abduction forces for the thumb. Because the stability of the system is important during the operation of the system, we qualitatively analyzed the stability condition of the system based on the modified form of the generalized unstructured model comprising the user’s finger, exoskeleton, and external environment. An experimental verification of the stability criterion was performed to determine the approximate range of the stably applicable assistance gain. This study is the first to quantify the stability of fingertip sensor-based assistive power being applied to the hand.

存在几种手外骨骼系统，其为使用者提供辅助力以增强或康复。但是，由于缺乏针对此类系统的稳定性分析，因此难以确保这些系统可以施加与用户预期运动相对应的辅助力。在这项研究中，开发了一种由腱驱动的软手外骨骼以提供辅助抓握力，并在系统运行期间研究了系统的定性稳定性条件。根据使用先前开发的指尖力传感器估算的指尖力，建议的外骨骼辅助了中指，食指和拇指。该系统向中指和食指施加屈曲力，并为拇指施加屈曲和外展力。由于系统的稳定性在系统的运行过程中很重要，因此我们基于包含用户手指，外骨骼和外部环境的广义非结构化模型的修改形式，定性地分析了系统的稳定性条件。对稳定性标准进行了实验验证，以确定稳定适用的辅助增益的大致范围。这项研究是第一个量化基于指尖传感器的辅助力在手部上的稳定性的研究。对稳定性标准进行了实验验证，以确定稳定适用的辅助增益的大致范围。这项研究是第一个量化基于指尖传感器的辅助力量在手部上的稳定性的研究。对稳定性标准进行了实验验证，以确定稳定适用的辅助增益的大致范围。这项研究是第一个量化基于指尖传感器的辅助力在手部上的稳定性的研究。